The government has formulated a new policy to regulate the naming and identification of city corporation roads across the country, including the two city corporations of the capital.
The policy, titled “Policy for Naming of City Corporation Roads, Buildings and Structures 2014,” will implement the use of new names (mostly after noted individuals) that were given to the different city corporation roads to help situate the exact locations of different organisations and holdings inside the urban areas, said sources in the Local Government Department (LGD).
As per the new policy, no one will be allowed to name any road, building and structure inside the city corporation area without prior approval from the corporation. If anyone wishes to change the name of any structure, approval has to be sought from the respective city corporation. The city corporation will then ask the LGD for approval. If approved, the person or organisation will be allowed to rename the structure.
Moreover, before renaming any road, building or structure, authorities concerned or the owners should consider adding the original name with the new name.
Apart from imposing strict rules and regulations over naming and renaming city streets, the policy will also ask city corporations to take steps to identify and remove illegal and unapproved nameplates.
At the same time, if a city corporation road ends at a Municipality or Union Parishad area, the city corporation should discuss with the authorities of the Municipality or Union Parishad before naming the roads.
According to LGD, the policy will become active from the day of its approval and all previous policies in this regard will be considered invalid.
This policy will also be effective for city corporations that fell under the 2009 policy for naming establishments.
When contacted, LGD Senior Assistant Secretary Sharaj Kumar Nath told the Dhaka Tribune: “The policy has already been activated and will continue until further decisions are taken by the LGD under the ministry of LGRD and Cooperative.”
Moreover, a subcommittee will be formed at each city corporation to verify naming proposals for roads, buildings and structures.
The committee will be formed by LGD officials and respective city corporation, divisional and deputy commissioners’ offices, among others. If needed, the subcommittee will also include prominent local citizens, historians and researchers.
The government had previously formulated similar policies in the past, but residents of different city corporations and in many cases, the city corporations themselves, failed to implement such regulations.
Although several streets in the capital were renamed decades ago, the new names were hardly used by the city dwellers. In 2004, the government renamed 85 roads and 12 establishments.
According to locals, it becomes difficult to find the exact location as many organisations, shops owners and holding owners use both new and old names and numbers.
DSCC sources said the new name of Elephant Road is Dr Kudrat-e Khuda but city dwellers do not know it.
The new name for Gulshan-1 road is AK Khandokar road, Gulshan-2 road is Bir Uttam Mir Shawkat Ali road, New Airport road is Shahid Ziaur Rahaman road, Green road is Shahid Minir Chowdhury road, among others.
When contacted, DSCC Chief Urban Planner Mohammad Sirajul Islam, who also served in the same post at DNCC, told the Dhaka Tribune that he was not the right person to talk to about this matter.
